Jay's tale merits a happy ending

Six months ago, Jay Demerit could only dream of being a professional footballer. The American didn't have a club and was on a week's trial at non-league Northwood Town with the simple aim of impressing a professional club scout.

Tonight, his mission will be to subdue Liverpool's blue-chip strikers Milan Baros and Fernando Morientes for a Watford side just one night of glory away from the Carling Cup final.

As Ray Lewington puts it, Demerit's story is a "real fairytale".

A basketball player and track and field athlete from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Demerit, 25, only took up football seriously at 19 when offered a sports scholarship at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

He said: "At university we would play football every few days. I wasn't with a club or anything like that but I played a lot and enjoyed it.

"I didn't come through the American system playing national league and, as I didn't graduate until I was 23, I couldn't do anything about my football career until then. Americans come into the game late. We don't have club teams that pick us up."

After graduating in industrial design, the single-minded Demerit began to make up for lost time.

Having saved up enough money from temporary jobs in the States, he flew to England to pursue his ambition of a professional career.

"I always knew if you're going to play professionally, then England is one of the best places in the world to be," said Demerit. "I had trials at Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers last season but I couldn't get a visa. I came back in the summer and I was ready to go up to Shrewsbury and sign for them."

Before committing himself to the League Two strugglers, a connection with the Northwood coach brought him to Middlesex last July where he was given the opportunity of a week's trial and playing in a couple of pre-season friendlies.

Demerit found himself up against Watford. "They put out one of their strongest sides and I obviously did okay," he said. "Then Ray Lewington invited me to train with them and play in a couple of reserve games. After the pre-season game against Real Zaragoza, I was offered a year's contract. A few months later, I was given a three-year contract."

Demerit quickly established himself as the centre-half Lewington would turn to if either of the firstchoice pair, Neil Cox and skipper Sean Dyche, were injured. The American was given an extended run in the team earlier this month when Dyche suffered a groin injury and responded with a string of impressive performances culminating in a superb display in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Liverpool.

"I think 1-0 to them was an unfair result," added Demerit. "Going into the game we would have taken it. Our goal was to have a chance in the second leg and, for that reason, we came away from Anfield happy." Demerit will never forget that night at Anfield. "To experience that was amazing," he explained.

"Walking out on to the pitch and hearing You'll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the scarves is what it is all about.

"I have to pinch myself sometimes. But I'm kept humble by knowing where I was six months ago. I am lucky Watford gave me a chance to show what I can do. I needed an opportunity and when I got it, I took it. Not everyone gets the chance in the first place.

"My goal at the start of the season was to stay in the manager's mind and in and around the team. Who knows what will happen when Sean [Dyche] is fit? That is the manager's choice."

Demerit is likely to face the biggest test of his short career tonight with Baros and Morientes in harness up front.

"They are two top strikers. It's a massive challenge for me," admitted Demerit. "Liverpool are not playing their best football at the moment and we have played really well at home against Premiership sides in the cup. I think we have every chance."

Manager Lewington is likely to stick with the team that performed so well in the first leg.

"My team will be close to that will played at Anfield. The 30-plus players were rested on Saturday with this game in mind.

"The players are very confident. They know they will never have a better chance of playing in a cup final."